Where the Vatican likens conservative Catholics and their alliance of hate to Jihadis.
Two close associates of Pope Francis have accused American Catholic ultraconservatives of making an alliance of “hate” with evangelical Christians to back President Trump, further alienating a group already out of the Vatican’s good graces.
The authors, writing in a Vatican-vetted journal, singled out Stephen K. Bannon, Mr. Trump’s chief strategist, as a “supporter of an apocalyptic geopolitics” that has stymied action against climate change and exploited fears of migrants and Muslims with calls for “walls and purifying deportations.”
The article warns that conservative American Catholics have strayed dangerously into the deepening political polarization in the United States. The writers even declare that the worldview of American evangelical and hard-line Catholics, which is based on a literal interpretation of the Bible, is “not too far apart’’ from jihadists.
And of course,… its never mentioned the REAL reason why there’s a movement against the Vatican – based Jesuit child sex rings which are used for blackmail purposes ,…
Is there.
………………………………………………………..
Leo Lyon Zagami, author of 18 books published in different parts of the world, and Grand Master of the Ordo Illuminatorum Universalis is the son of Prof. Elio Zagami, well-known Jungian analyst, writer and co-founder of GAPA (Autonomous Group of Analytical Psychology Was chairman of the senator and essayist Leopoldo Zagami and son of Jessica Lyon Young, a member of the Queen Mother of England family, in turn the daughter of the writers Henry Lyon Young and Felicity Mason, collaborator of William Burroughs, known under the pseudonym By Anne Cumming.
After a brilliant career in media and music as a DJ and record producer known as Leo Young, in 2006 Zagami began his web-publishing business regarding his direct involvement with the New World Order and the Associations Associated with it and known as the “Illuminati.”
Leo Zagami
leozagami.com/
And here is what he has to say the Jesuit Pope WOULD have it in for ‘ American evangelical and hard-line Catholics ‘ …
Vatican Insider Leo Zagami: Police Interrupted Gay Orgy In Vatican …
Video for Vatican Insider Leo Zagami: Police Interrupted Gay Orgy In Vatican, Cardinal’s Aide Was Arrested▶ 29:41 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lS3_ywkdoY
I don’t mind Dr Bryce Edwards analysis but sometimes I get the feeling the Herald is paying his wages.
Today’s item, “Reality check on Jacindamania” he quotes from none other than John Armstrong, Nationals Master of Ceremony and fuckwit, Mike Hosking, Nationals very own Joseph Goebbels – David Farrar, and some dude called Matthew Hooton who rumour has it has very close ties to some political party called National. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11898453
Dr Edwards, any credibility of your article died right there and then. Did you expect objectivity? Is this why we can’t get rid of National with abysmal journalism like this?
Armstrong has a horrible track record of failing to ever scratch the surface on this corrupt prone National government but has always had plenty to say what is wrong with everyone to the left of them.
As for the other 3, who gives a flying fuck what these National Party pimps have to say?
I was left wondering why he didn’t quote, Stephen Joyce, Peter Goodfellow and Sir John Key himself.
Yes, Jacinda really needs to act very quickly to overhaul Labour’s key failing, namely their woeful lack of policy that is anything but the status quo, but mate, your article was shit!
Newshub: More questions raised about Metiria Turei’s living situation
Ms Turei says she claimed a benefit between 1993 and 1998. The habitation index – that’s an official public record of addresses collated from the electoral roll – shows Ms Turei listed at the same address as her daughter’s father, Paul Hartley, in both 1993 and 1994.
That’s significant – if she was living at the same address as her baby’s father she would not have been eligible for the benefit she claimed, the Domestic Purposes Benefit.
We showed the evidence to Ms Turei on Tuesday, and asked whether the electoral roll had not been updated or whether the father was living with Ms Turei.
“I’m not sure”, “I’d have to have a look”, “I was living in Mt Eden at the time”, she told Newshub.
“I’m not talking about the personal relationships or other people.”
The index also shows that in 1996 and 1998 Ms Turei was listed at the same address as her mother, Janice.
Should you ask anyone else? Should you disclose all your own financial dealings?
Up until that time I was working full time, while the mother of my 3 kids worked up to full time at nights, while she studied to get qualifications, while choosing to share the parenting. No benefits were involved.
Living of a benefit and studying without working is just one choice of many possibilities.
Your not a solo mother, not many men are left holding the baby. Are you aware that when Metiria, was on a benefit there were 200, 000 people unemployed, that doesn’t come in to it does it. Good on her
Before the dawn of time when the Salvation Army was getting started General Booth bought a prostitute to show that it could be done easily. He got into much trouble for bringing this matter to the public’s attention and involving himself in what was better left unsaid, immoral and illegal or something. It wa knowing about it that was the worst shock, so hard on people of purity, conspicuous honesty and gentle disposition.
You know Carolyn_nth most kiwis would have said each of those things were wrong, and they did. It was not until the law changed that people said it was OK.
We really are a country of boot wearing, bully boys.
“Is it wrong for Pete George to snatch illegally-obtained food from the mouths of hungry children?”
My personal answer to this dilemma? “Yes”
An tbh, more than that. I give a little inward squirm of delight at the thought of every extra dollar of the beige one’s taxes that Metiria got. I hope they had a slap-up meal of fish and chips courtesy of Pete’s (unwitting) generosity. I hope they shouted “Thanks Pete” as they bit through some nice crunchy batter!
Yum!
Two thirds of Labour supporters thought it was wrong, including the current party leader:
Ms Ardern said having never been in the same situation as Ms Turei she wasn’t “going to sit here and be judgemental”.
But she did question Ms Turei’s lack of remorse and the perception she might be endorsing fraud.
“When you’re lawmakers, you can’t condone lawbreaking. You can share your story from your past, but of course you can’t then condone it,” said Ms Ardern.
“When you are a lawmaker, you have to be very clear about when what you’ve done in your past has been right or it’s been wrong.”
But the poll was taken before it was known that Turei may have lived with her daughter’s father and with her mother at various times during the period she says she was on a benefit.
I think many people have some sympathy for the situations many beneficiaries have been or are in, but Turei seems to have gone further than a lot of people are comfortable with – including half of Green supporters.
Trouble is, as all of us know who have tried to hit underwater targets from above the water, the light plays strange tricks. Not sure that Pete is up to the optics.
Turei said on Checkpoint tonight she was on electoral roll to vote at ex-partner’s address because she wanted to vote in that electorate, but she was living somewhere else. She said in retrospect it was stupid.
Turei says this is what happens when you open your life to forensic inspection. She said beneficiaries deal with that all the time.
Metiria Turei admits she was recorded as living at the same address as her baby’s partner while claiming the DPB but says she wasn’t actually living at the property.
I can recall living in London, being on electoral roll at a different address from where I was living at one period.
Name another beneficiary who is getting this kind of examination? I couldn’t see any on the news tonight.
She is getting it because she has repeatedly lied in statutory declarations, appears to be telling the public a range of half truths, is not apologetic and is a leader of a political party who could be a cabinet minister in a few months.
She appears to have a high sense of self entitlement, something that should be discouraged in people looking to access the public purse.
Her own words. Tonight she admitted providing a false address when enrolling for the election. You have to sign a form when you enrol and it is an imprisonable offence to supply false information under that part of the law. She also admitted that she lied to social welfare about income sources, and in my experience you have to sign that the information provided is true.
So a single instance not repeated. (btw, no-one gets prosecuted for lying about an address on their electoral registration, for pretty obvious reasons).
As for what happened with WINZ, we simply don’t know. If she only had to provide documentation once a year (DPB), then it’s possible that she didn’t sign anything at all that was false. Perhaps in your haste to be a judgemental fuck you tripped over yourself there.
Of course it was wrong and, as she is now in the position to do, should pay it back.
Many people have found themselves in this position but the fact that no RWNJs are prepared to admit that Turei’s claiming of benefits to which she might not have been wholly entitled has benefitted this country by dint of her subsequent contribution to it prove that continued attacks on her are nothing more than Dirty Politics.
I know you struggle with the definition but that means you, Pete.
On the other hand, Metiria is not claiming that it was right. The Righties seem to think that they have caught her out lying.
No – she voluntarily confessed – but that seems to be beyond the comprehension of Righties. Dumb twits.
What the hell is a “rightie”? You know in the real world people simply don’t use these terms? There are intelligent people and stupid people, kind people and good people, proponents of sound public policy and proponents of poor public policy.
Pete George 6.38pm,
Thanks for the post, these figures prove to me that the recent couple of points that the Greens got in the polls were simply disaffected labour supporters.
Meteria is very dodgy about the questions on flatmates etc.
Arden/ Labour need quickly to distance themselves from the Greens as they have been toxic to Little’s / labours brand.
I believe the Greens would be unsafe in any form of coalition government and I also believe that Winnie and his party would believe the same, judging by Winnie’s recent comments that Labour was foolish to go into the MoU.
“I was the sole provider for my daughter. I was fully financially responsible for us both.
“I did not live at the same address as the father of my child.
“I was, however, enrolled to vote at the same address as him, which was in the Mt Albert electorate. A friend of mine was running as a candidate in Mt Albert in 1993, and I wished to vote for them.
“That was a mistake – one of many I, like many other people, made as a young person.
“I also wish to confirm that my mother was my flatmate for a period during the mid-1990s.
“We were financially independent while living together in the same home,” said Mrs Turei.
Funny that ,… unsolicited hair pulling ( esp ten times over a six months period after having been asked to stop ) is common assault , – WHILE being the Prime Minister of New Zealand.
And so is claiming allowances for housing that you are not entitled to, esp when a senior ranking Minister of a political party , – AND already owning another house.
And the difference between the above examples and Metiria?
She did it when she was a young woman with a small child to feed, was struggling under balancing a meager budget while trying to complete a degree and NOT a Member of Parliament.
So tell me , …
Who is the one of these more deserving of leniency and understanding ?
I see lots of women in prison for benefit fraud. None for pony tail tugging.
Bill English committed no offence.
Where was the fucking father? Either he WAS supporting her and she was not in fact struggling OR he was a dead beat child support avoider. Which was it?
what’s your point George? People are not annoyed that she lied, they are annoyed because she was a beneficiary when she did it. So it’s not right for Metiria to lie but it is fine, for key, Bennett the double dipper and every other do nothing national MP.
Interesting poll as it doesn’t correlate to what I’m hearing in the community.
Imho the most important point about her disclosure is that she wasn’t receiving enough. This would indicate to me that Work and Income failed to advise her of her eligibility for Special Benefit (phased out 2007 and replaced with Temporary Additional Support).
I think Work and Income could have owed her $$$ she was not told about – a situation played out repeatedly in winz offices today causing unnecessary suffering in our community.
No Meteria Turei wasn’t “wrong”, it is the system that is wrong. A system that is as petty and sanctimonious as you are. Anyone who is fully financially responsible for a child should be entitled to state financial assistance to adequately look after their child. Without “forensic investigation” into their lives. End of story. Do whatever possible to help parent and child/children participate fully in society and live with hope. And we’ll all be better off.
So workers on minimum wage in Mangere should be forced to support her through taxes, while the father, who owned a house in mt Albert and who she feels comfortable enough with to use his address to commit electoral fraud ( while he and his labour mp mother are apparently happy to see his child starve), gets off scot free? The labour movement should be outraged.
“So workers on minimum wage in Mangere should be forced to support her through taxes”
Absolutely not!! And that is utterly unnecessary.
Uber-wealthy rentiers like John Key and Graeme Hart etc should be forced to support her through taxes. This will have an added benefit of stimulating the economy by transferring wealth to the more useful part of town.
Yes and IRD takes the money from his wages. Sheesh srylands are you that out of touch with how the system works? I really think you need to look into how things work in the real world, before you give yourself a stroke.
Unlike you, I understand complexity and reality. Take whatever righteous stand you want, we all live in the same society. We all suffer the consequences when children, who through no fault of their own, are not supported to achieve their potential. And don’t bother with the whole “responsibility” rant. It’s such a waste of energy. Deal with reality of what is happening rather than the fantasy of what “should” happen. Get your head around complexity.
What’s the Sinead O’Conner image supposed to achieve? More division within the opposition? Is it a Green thing having a pop at Labour’s issues? I hope not.
Y’all want to get rid of Dunne, don’t you? From the looks of this, maybe not…
You can see the post. It’s obviously making fun of O’Conner’s reaction and quotes today about Ardern. Not sure why anyone on The Standard which is supposed to be the voice of the Labour movement would want to damage O’Conner’s chances of ousting The Bowtie from his lame position propping up the National government.
UF got 0.22% of the party vote in 2014 btw. If there is a man who deserves to be representing Kiwis in Parliament less than Peter Dunne, I’d like to know who.
You can see where I’m going with this. Why risk the chance to put Dunne out of his misery for good because of O’Conner’s past. It’s the same internal squabbles which have hurt the opposition for some years now.
“it’d be fair to say that all of us share a commitment to the values and principles that underpin the broad labour movement and we hope that perspective will come through strongly as you read the blog.”
It’s not my background, but I’m going to assume that the broad labour movement tolerates dissent. I get where you are coming from, I get sick of some of the relentless negativity about Labour in the comments. But this was a joke, and it’s hardly going to undermine Greg O’Connor to have someone poke a bit of fun at him (like I said, I’m not seeing the insult).
The far right wing sycophants are in gear, circling , bobbing , weaving and looking for a point of entry. Among them , – these prize wankers :
John Armstrong :
“Labour could do with is a lot more caution before casting its new leader as the Wonder Woman of New Zealand politics , you could have been excused for thinking Labour had just won the general election, rather than indulging in a last-minute exercise in survival ”.
We should ask him about a fictitious $100,000.00 bottle of wine .
What a lying slob.
——————————
Then we have the perennial Wanker in Chief , – Hosking ….
… ” doubts that Ardern is a saviour for Labour, raising questions about her lack of experience, and saying “I am not sure how relatable she is to middle New Zealand , – She’s promising new policy but it will have to be dramatically different than what they’ve already rolled out and judging by her opening comments in her first press conference, it was the same old stuff: closing gaps, more money, an inclusive society “.
What a way to condemn your own words.
Yes ,… he would be worried about the Greens catching the middle voters of NZ , while Adern drags women and soft Nat voters away from National ,- who , – actually kind of WOULD like to see a ‘more inclusive society with more money and the gaps being closed between the rich and the poor ‘….
——————————
Then there’s dainty little David Farrar…
Offering up an Olive branch as a front to appear all conciliatory and moderate … before ramming the dagger between the shoulder blades…
Still one must admire the snake like approach…
” She is untested as a leader. Does the public think she can run the country ? … running a country is vastly different to running a club of youth wings , … will the public think her and Grant Robertson will be better economic managers than Bill English and Steven Joyce ?… she is popular and liked but she did fail to win Auckland Central (a previous safe seat for Labour) in both 2011 and 2014″.
Sooo….
Untested. Just like John Key was.
And while Jacinda was earning a Communications degree , running an internationally comprised youth wing , spending time working in the offices of Phil Goff and of Helen Clark as a researcher , and later spent time in London, working as a senior policy advisor , …
John Key spent his years :
‘ working with foreign bankers who led raids on the New Zealand dollar , – and 20 years ago, he worked closely with a famed currency trader who mounted a brutal speculative attack on the Kiwi dollar. The attack, which has entered forex (foreign exchange) trading legend for its scale, audacity and profitability, prompted Reserve Bank alarm that the NZ currency would collapse ‘ .
-According to an article on Stuff .
Then we have the infamous homelessness and poverty such as we have never seen before in NZ , under Bill English’s ‘ economic management ‘ … well I dont know about you ,… but I would say ANYONE could come up with a plan that would be better than anything Stephen Joyce or Bill English have done in the last 9 years.
And so far, Labour has done just that.
I cannot remember any particular time when National wanted to raise the minimum wage and implement the Living Wage , can you ?
No.
What we got was more of Bill English and his prized ‘low wage economy’.
And people dying from the cold because of homelessness , family’s living in cars and young people locked out of buying a home…
Yeah right.
That’s real good economic management , alright.
So if you really want to read the news article that spawned these sorts of cretinous remarks,… read Bryce Edwards article on today’s NZ Herald for a laugh and a giggle . Just have a box of tissues handy to wipe away the tears of laughter…
They are testing their lines. The focus group results are not in yet so they do not know what they are doing. Within a week they will settle on an attack strategy and stick to it remorselessly.
Mickeysavage:
You have more faith in head office than myself.
Don’t believe they need an attack strategy, more policies that will get broad appeal, also not just to young people as Jacinda as already intimated.
Agreed. You can tell the plan is in its early stages. Labour needs to work on possible lines of attack and work out the counter to them.
If looked at logically , after 9 years there is plenty of ammunition if anyone tries to get cute. 4-5 stock rebuttals per angle of attack , for use both in parliament and in media. But apart from that ,… the latest fruits of National’s social policy is all there to see. And it isn’t pretty.
And National cant attack them on economic performance because they are the party that’s been in for the last 9 years. All they can try to do is bluff and scaremonger. Which is totally unsubstantiated speculation on their parts. What isn’t , is the appalling effects on large sectors of society that is a direct result of National policy.
Gareth Hughes hit it on the head not so long ago ( 11 Feb 2016 ) when Key was still PM before he jumped ship … one of my favorite speeches .
Wild Katipo, 7.52pm.
Gareth Hughes stood for the leadership of the Green Party and got one vote , his own.
Does not have much weight in Parliament, or in his own Party.
Gareth got his nose busted in a “friendly” parliamentary rugby match a while back and posted the selfie soon after. I hope that’s all he ever suffers, in light of your news of his Deification, Wild Katipo.
Lol… not so much ‘ Deification ‘ , so much as showing that vicious types will always try to drag down a good honest person. Its in their nature to want to do that.
As far as I’m concerned, Gareth is a bloody good honest bloke. And the things he listed showed up Key / National for what they really are.
Co-leaders in the GP are selected by delegates via an STV process. Delegates take instruction from their local area members. I’d be extremely surprised if MPs got a special vote that ordinary members don’t, but by all means back up your assertion.
Beyond that, the co-leadership vote was always going to be between Shaw and Hague. Far too soon for Hughes to be stepping into that role, but useful for him to put his hand up and gain experience.
I’ve already explained how I think the voting works and provided a link. Hughes’ vote for himself is not the 1% you are claiming.
Your problem now is that when people have been given a chance to back up their claim or change their position, and they don’t but instead double down, I get to call them a liar. Which is what I will do with you from now on. It’s one thing that you and I have different politics, that’s fine. But when you deliberately make up shit about left wing parties for your own agenda, I put you in the same category as DPF or Hooton.
billmurray relentlessly attacks The Greens. Tonight, he’s looking at Gareth. Makes a change from his usual, “the MOU is the handbasket in which we are all going to Hell” rant.
RG. Quite – if the Greens are nihilists (all life is ultimately pointless) why the hell do they want to save the planet from catastrophe? Surely they would be grimly keen on anything that accelerated it?
Actually “grimly keen” doesn’t really work, because nihilists (if true to their ideology) can’t really be keen on anything!
Neil,… off The Young Ones,… is a nihilist. But I would say so are Anarcho – capitalists. At least in basic form.
Which is what BM ,srylands, WAYNE, billmurray and a whole long list of other regular far right wing supporters are .
‘ Anarcho-capitalism (also known as “libertarian anarchy” or “market anarchism” or “free market anarchism”) is a libertarian and individualist anarchist political philosophy that advocates the elimination of the state in favor of individual sovereignty in a free market ‘
So the nebulous ‘free market’ becomes their form of nihilism . No organization , no regulation , no state … just a bottomless predatory free for all pit.
I’d say a govt that is OK with homeless dying on streets and living in cars is in an advanced state of nihilism itself, tbh.
You know, I have a son who traveled with his mother to Cambodia when she went there to do some relief work. My son played with kids in the slums. They lived among huge rubbish dumps and made houses out of old car body’s. And many died because of hunger related preventable diseases and because they could not afford proper medical care.
In NZ , family’s sleep in cars ( often when working multiple jobs ) , those without cars die of the cold , ( 1600 per year because of cold related illnesses ) often have to rely on food banks or starve , with many being permanently handicapped by preventable diseases because of lack of money for doctors , – or dying from them.
Wild Katipo,
saw the same sort of situation in Bombay mid 1980’s.
Yes it is nilihism.
The Greens, who are about a 12% political party, only ever won a seat once ( Jeanette Fitsimmons from memory) to Parliament.
The Greens are a totally list Party.
The Greens make rash and unachievable promises to the people living in cars etc.
They will never deliver on their promises, only a major political Party can do that.
The Greens pretend.
They white ant the MoU.
That is their nilihism to me.
Here’s something I wrote yesterday over at The Daily Blog , just for you Spud.
And if the Greens ( in coalition with Labour ) even achieve some of this , – they will be going a long way towards the REAL remedy’s for NZ and a return to the prosperity we knew as a country pre 1984 ,- the year the liar Roger Douglas introduced his theft via neo liberalism :
What I and many others are hoping for is this , – a return to what was once …
… ” Free education , free healthcare , full employment and the maintenance of the welfare state, women’s rights , environmentalism , and Māori rights. A continuance of nuclear-free policy and opposition of military interventionism, progressive taxation , which would mean higher tax for wealthier people and lower taxation for poorer people. The removal of the Goods and Services Tax, as the tax is unfair because the amount paid does not vary according to the purchaser’s ability to afford it ” …
None other than the very policy’s of the Alliance party !!!
And here’s a few others still popular these days :
Bringing Treasury / Reserve Bank under direct govt control , dismantling of the effects of the Employment Contracts Act , trade tariffs to protect local industry and workers jobs , making welfare inflation adjusted ie : costs of living , full employment – as opposed to maintaining a pool of unemployed to keep wages low , compulsory unionism , govt backed union award rates ( and industry apprenticeship’s ) cessation of land purchase by foreign corporate’s ie : lease basis only , re-nationalization of our SOE’s – including much of our former media ,…
Do all that ?
And you might , – just MIGHT , start to see a return to our former social democracy and the prosperity we once enjoyed under it.
* Oh , … and btw ,… making illegal the measures used formerly by lobbyists to attempt to stage a return to neo liberalism as unconstitutional , anti sovereign , anti democratic and against the NZ Bill of Rights.
Yes,… another one of these ‘ Sirs’ involved either directly or indirectly with some sort of deviant scumbag behaviors… there really must be a tightening up of the criteria before someone gets a title with these characters… too many thieves among them.
John Key gets off common assault charges, now lets see, … who broke the original pony tail pulling incident story ,… The Daily Blog , as I recall…
And was it not some liar who used to be a cheap columnist who faked being an advocate that placed an article in the NZ Herald and twisted every word ?
The Daily Blog smacked that sad little attempt at deception down as well…
A little like the fictitious $ 100,000.00 bottle of wine being another sterling example of editorial bias from the same newspaper… and following that , another investigative report released to the public by The Daily Blog exposing that particular newspaper.
You can criticize all you like , but Bradbury’s done more than his fair share of making the neo liberal coterie feel decidedly uncomfortable… just like any decent journalist should , – but fail to when they have been pay walled by the National party …
So he sent on average 1.5 texts a day to someone he knew and had worked closely with for the preceding 20 years. That’s a scandal . An absolute outrage.
Well then … your convenient ‘1.5 texts per day ‘ spread out over time may have relevance to a statistician but to the rest of us ( and in context of the law breaking of Todd Barclay ) with common sense it obviously didn’t occur like that but rather in ‘ clusters’ .
And there was an obvious reason for those ‘ clusters’ . Late evenings, Early hours of the morning , … certainly does seem rather extreme behavior for a normal every day working relationship given the timeframe and context , – and more importantly , – the potential magnitude of the situation if it were to become public knowledge,…
Doesn’t it.
Sometimes trying to get cute and adopting the nerd approach by justifying all things purely on a measurable mathematical approach only serves to make you look ridiculous.
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This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
COMMENTARY:By Ronny Kareni Since the atrocious footage of the suffering of an indigenous Papuan man reverberates in the heart of Puncak by the brute force of Indonesia’s army in early February, shocking tactics deployed by those in power to silence critics has been unfolding. Nowhere is this more evident ...
Analysis - Nicola Willis is holding firm on tax cuts despite the economic outlook being worse than forecast and critics urging her to wait, writes Peter Wilson for The Week In Politics. ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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A few days old.
Good Catholic workers doing what is right.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-Dip9svgz8&ab_channel=DemocracyNow%21
Where the Vatican likens conservative Catholics and their alliance of hate to Jihadis.
Two close associates of Pope Francis have accused American Catholic ultraconservatives of making an alliance of “hate” with evangelical Christians to back President Trump, further alienating a group already out of the Vatican’s good graces.
The authors, writing in a Vatican-vetted journal, singled out Stephen K. Bannon, Mr. Trump’s chief strategist, as a “supporter of an apocalyptic geopolitics” that has stymied action against climate change and exploited fears of migrants and Muslims with calls for “walls and purifying deportations.”
The article warns that conservative American Catholics have strayed dangerously into the deepening political polarization in the United States. The writers even declare that the worldview of American evangelical and hard-line Catholics, which is based on a literal interpretation of the Bible, is “not too far apart’’ from jihadists.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/world/europe/vatican-us-catholic-conservatives.html
And of course,… its never mentioned the REAL reason why there’s a movement against the Vatican – based Jesuit child sex rings which are used for blackmail purposes ,…
Is there.
………………………………………………………..
Leo Lyon Zagami, author of 18 books published in different parts of the world, and Grand Master of the Ordo Illuminatorum Universalis is the son of Prof. Elio Zagami, well-known Jungian analyst, writer and co-founder of GAPA (Autonomous Group of Analytical Psychology Was chairman of the senator and essayist Leopoldo Zagami and son of Jessica Lyon Young, a member of the Queen Mother of England family, in turn the daughter of the writers Henry Lyon Young and Felicity Mason, collaborator of William Burroughs, known under the pseudonym By Anne Cumming.
After a brilliant career in media and music as a DJ and record producer known as Leo Young, in 2006 Zagami began his web-publishing business regarding his direct involvement with the New World Order and the Associations Associated with it and known as the “Illuminati.”
Leo Zagami
leozagami.com/
And here is what he has to say the Jesuit Pope WOULD have it in for ‘ American evangelical and hard-line Catholics ‘ …
Vatican Insider Leo Zagami: Police Interrupted Gay Orgy In Vatican …
Video for Vatican Insider Leo Zagami: Police Interrupted Gay Orgy In Vatican, Cardinal’s Aide Was Arrested▶ 29:41
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lS3_ywkdoY
The Juice!.
//
Oh dear …
I don’t mind Dr Bryce Edwards analysis but sometimes I get the feeling the Herald is paying his wages.
Today’s item, “Reality check on Jacindamania” he quotes from none other than John Armstrong, Nationals Master of Ceremony and fuckwit, Mike Hosking, Nationals very own Joseph Goebbels – David Farrar, and some dude called Matthew Hooton who rumour has it has very close ties to some political party called National.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11898453
Dr Edwards, any credibility of your article died right there and then. Did you expect objectivity? Is this why we can’t get rid of National with abysmal journalism like this?
Armstrong has a horrible track record of failing to ever scratch the surface on this corrupt prone National government but has always had plenty to say what is wrong with everyone to the left of them.
As for the other 3, who gives a flying fuck what these National Party pimps have to say?
I was left wondering why he didn’t quote, Stephen Joyce, Peter Goodfellow and Sir John Key himself.
Yes, Jacinda really needs to act very quickly to overhaul Labour’s key failing, namely their woeful lack of policy that is anything but the status quo, but mate, your article was shit!
Edwards is a cut-and-paste merchant whose ritin’ skills offer nothing more than ‘he said, she said’.
Hell, Bryce has a doctorate in cutting-and-pasting! Better listen.
But it’s telling what he chooses to cut and paste from. Doesn’t explain his choice either – sloppy.
Newshub-Reid Research poll tonight: Was it wrong for Metiria Turei to lie to get a bigger benefit?
– Yes 73.9%
– No 18.3%
– Don’t know 7.8%
Even half of Green supporters thought it was wrong – by party:
– National 85%
– NZ First 77%
– Labour 67%
– Green 51%
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/08/newshub-poll-most-kiwis-say-metiria-turei-was-wrong-to-lie-to-winz.html
Newshub: More questions raised about Metiria Turei’s living situation
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/08/more-questions-raised-about-metiria-turei-s-living-situation.html
P*** off!
Why Anne, are facts offensive to you?
No just the beige bullshitter – I also say piss off – and to both of you.
Why Anne, are facts offensive to you?
Present all the facts, not just PG’s list.
Should ask PG what all his movements and financial dealings were 24 years ago…
Should you ask anyone else? Should you disclose all your own financial dealings?
Up until that time I was working full time, while the mother of my 3 kids worked up to full time at nights, while she studied to get qualifications, while choosing to share the parenting. No benefits were involved.
Living of a benefit and studying without working is just one choice of many possibilities.
Your not a solo mother, not many men are left holding the baby. Are you aware that when Metiria, was on a benefit there were 200, 000 people unemployed, that doesn’t come in to it does it. Good on her
Fuzzy poll question – legally it was wrong, but many think it was morally right.
Was it wrong for suffragettes to chain themselves to railings?
Was it wrong for gay men to have sex when it was illegal?
Was it wrong for Helen Kelly to get marijuana illegally?
Was it wrong for women to have backstreet abortions back in the day?
Before the dawn of time when the Salvation Army was getting started General Booth bought a prostitute to show that it could be done easily. He got into much trouble for bringing this matter to the public’s attention and involving himself in what was better left unsaid, immoral and illegal or something. It wa knowing about it that was the worst shock, so hard on people of purity, conspicuous honesty and gentle disposition.
You know Carolyn_nth most kiwis would have said each of those things were wrong, and they did. It was not until the law changed that people said it was OK.
We really are a country of boot wearing, bully boys.
Excellent Carolyn_nth! Can I add another one?
“Is it wrong for Pete George to snatch illegally-obtained food from the mouths of hungry children?”
My personal answer to this dilemma? “Yes”
An tbh, more than that. I give a little inward squirm of delight at the thought of every extra dollar of the beige one’s taxes that Metiria got. I hope they had a slap-up meal of fish and chips courtesy of Pete’s (unwitting) generosity. I hope they shouted “Thanks Pete” as they bit through some nice crunchy batter!
Yum!
Yay! 18.3 plus 7.8 = 26.1.
Go the Greens.
Hi
PeterBlancmange. Nice to see you got a mention in Jacinda’s first press conference. It must be your cut-and-paste abilities or something.Snort, I noticed that too.
Two thirds of Labour supporters thought it was wrong, including the current party leader:
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/07/you-can-t-condone-lawbreaking-jacinda-ardern-to-metiria-turei.html
But the poll was taken before it was known that Turei may have lived with her daughter’s father and with her mother at various times during the period she says she was on a benefit.
I think many people have some sympathy for the situations many beneficiaries have been or are in, but Turei seems to have gone further than a lot of people are comfortable with – including half of Green supporters.
As a taxpayer, I was disappointed to hear that Metiria agreed to cooperate with the scum. If they try and convict her they will wear the consequences.
Ooooo you’re sooooo scary!
Now you’re threatening Gov’t departments.
I’m not threatening anyone. Just predicting the inevitable political outcome of making martyrs.
Let’s leave the summary justice to the case workers, eh. After all, you put them in that position. What could possibly go wrong?
No, wait, it already has.
Super work, Pete!
Think you’ve got a sniff of blood in the water, do you?
Strike swiftly, Pete!
Go for the heart!
Trouble is, as all of us know who have tried to hit underwater targets from above the water, the light plays strange tricks. Not sure that Pete is up to the optics.
Then … start of Paula Benefit!
Turei said on Checkpoint tonight she was on electoral roll to vote at ex-partner’s address because she wanted to vote in that electorate, but she was living somewhere else. She said in retrospect it was stupid.
Turei says this is what happens when you open your life to forensic inspection. She said beneficiaries deal with that all the time.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/201853487/more-questions-raised-about-metiria-turie-s-benefit-fraud
I can recall living in London, being on electoral roll at a different address from where I was living at one period.
All the things I want to say are about raging and smashing stuff except this:
Entrench the BoRA. Prosecute human rights abuse to the full extent of the law.
Name another beneficiary who is getting this kind of examination? I couldn’t see any on the news tonight.
She is getting it because she has repeatedly lied in statutory declarations, appears to be telling the public a range of half truths, is not apologetic and is a leader of a political party who could be a cabinet minister in a few months.
She appears to have a high sense of self entitlement, something that should be discouraged in people looking to access the public purse.
“because she has repeatedly lied in statutory declarations”
Do you have any evidence of that?
Her own words. Tonight she admitted providing a false address when enrolling for the election. You have to sign a form when you enrol and it is an imprisonable offence to supply false information under that part of the law. She also admitted that she lied to social welfare about income sources, and in my experience you have to sign that the information provided is true.
So a single instance not repeated. (btw, no-one gets prosecuted for lying about an address on their electoral registration, for pretty obvious reasons).
As for what happened with WINZ, we simply don’t know. If she only had to provide documentation once a year (DPB), then it’s possible that she didn’t sign anything at all that was false. Perhaps in your haste to be a judgemental fuck you tripped over yourself there.
Of course it was wrong and, as she is now in the position to do, should pay it back.
Many people have found themselves in this position but the fact that no RWNJs are prepared to admit that Turei’s claiming of benefits to which she might not have been wholly entitled has benefitted this country by dint of her subsequent contribution to it prove that continued attacks on her are nothing more than Dirty Politics.
I know you struggle with the definition but that means you, Pete.
it was wrong
No, it wasn’t. No, she doesn’t owe us a damn thing.
On the other hand, Metiria is not claiming that it was right. The Righties seem to think that they have caught her out lying.
No – she voluntarily confessed – but that seems to be beyond the comprehension of Righties. Dumb twits.
She confessed to one thing yes but it seems there may be more to come
What the hell is a “rightie”? You know in the real world people simply don’t use these terms? There are intelligent people and stupid people, kind people and good people, proponents of sound public policy and proponents of poor public policy.
But there are no righties.
People use ‘rightie’ in speech somewhat often, so you just need to get out and meet more people. Might give you more perspective.
WTF?
What the hell is a RWNJ?
Google it, you lazy bastard!
Try a mirror, it might help you understand 🙂
Lol. Too true!
Pete George 6.38pm,
Thanks for the post, these figures prove to me that the recent couple of points that the Greens got in the polls were simply disaffected labour supporters.
Meteria is very dodgy about the questions on flatmates etc.
Arden/ Labour need quickly to distance themselves from the Greens as they have been toxic to Little’s / labours brand.
I believe the Greens would be unsafe in any form of coalition government and I also believe that Winnie and his party would believe the same, judging by Winnie’s recent comments that Labour was foolish to go into the MoU.
You and Blancmange can struggle for relevance in the centre. It can’t hold, you know.
Viva Venezuela eh OAB
GRRRRRRRRR !!!
Who woke me from my slumber ?!!?
Did some scummy little neo liberal far right wing nose picker?
DANGEROUS MOVE !!!
New Right Fight – Who are the New Right?
http://www.newrightfight.co.nz/pageA.html
Yeah. No, not really. You’re funny though, trying to make hay from mouldy cheese.
Statement from Metiria Turei
Her experience will be very important in consigning National Party and other centrist human rights abuses to history.
100%
Pete George, 7.36pm
David Farrar at Kiwiblog is now saying that Metira may have committed electoral fraud?.
That’ll give the opposition something to whinge and whine about as she helps destroy your cruel trash legacy, eh 🙂
Funny that ,… unsolicited hair pulling ( esp ten times over a six months period after having been asked to stop ) is common assault , – WHILE being the Prime Minister of New Zealand.
And so is claiming allowances for housing that you are not entitled to, esp when a senior ranking Minister of a political party , – AND already owning another house.
And the difference between the above examples and Metiria?
She did it when she was a young woman with a small child to feed, was struggling under balancing a meager budget while trying to complete a degree and NOT a Member of Parliament.
So tell me , …
Who is the one of these more deserving of leniency and understanding ?
* For the far right wing nose pickers benefit .
I see lots of women in prison for benefit fraud. None for pony tail tugging.
Bill English committed no offence.
Where was the fucking father? Either he WAS supporting her and she was not in fact struggling OR he was a dead beat child support avoider. Which was it?
what’s your point George? People are not annoyed that she lied, they are annoyed because she was a beneficiary when she did it. So it’s not right for Metiria to lie but it is fine, for key, Bennett the double dipper and every other do nothing national MP.
Interesting poll as it doesn’t correlate to what I’m hearing in the community.
Imho the most important point about her disclosure is that she wasn’t receiving enough. This would indicate to me that Work and Income failed to advise her of her eligibility for Special Benefit (phased out 2007 and replaced with Temporary Additional Support).
I think Work and Income could have owed her $$$ she was not told about – a situation played out repeatedly in winz offices today causing unnecessary suffering in our community.
Why was the father not paying her child support?
Ask the father.
you are to funny srylands, clearly you have no idea about solo mothers, who says the father was even around?
No Meteria Turei wasn’t “wrong”, it is the system that is wrong. A system that is as petty and sanctimonious as you are. Anyone who is fully financially responsible for a child should be entitled to state financial assistance to adequately look after their child. Without “forensic investigation” into their lives. End of story. Do whatever possible to help parent and child/children participate fully in society and live with hope. And we’ll all be better off.
So workers on minimum wage in Mangere should be forced to support her through taxes, while the father, who owned a house in mt Albert and who she feels comfortable enough with to use his address to commit electoral fraud ( while he and his labour mp mother are apparently happy to see his child starve), gets off scot free? The labour movement should be outraged.
“So workers on minimum wage in Mangere should be forced to support her through taxes”
Absolutely not!! And that is utterly unnecessary.
Uber-wealthy rentiers like John Key and Graeme Hart etc should be forced to support her through taxes. This will have an added benefit of stimulating the economy by transferring wealth to the more useful part of town.
Mu God. She was not solely financially responsible. The father was also financially responsible.
Yes and IRD takes the money from his wages. Sheesh srylands are you that out of touch with how the system works? I really think you need to look into how things work in the real world, before you give yourself a stroke.
Unlike you, I understand complexity and reality. Take whatever righteous stand you want, we all live in the same society. We all suffer the consequences when children, who through no fault of their own, are not supported to achieve their potential. And don’t bother with the whole “responsibility” rant. It’s such a waste of energy. Deal with reality of what is happening rather than the fantasy of what “should” happen. Get your head around complexity.
“Newshub: More questions raised about Metiria Turei’s living situation”
Questions answered about that to John Campbell earlier this evening: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/336436/turei-admits-enrolling-at-different-address-in-1990s
What’s the Sinead O’Conner image supposed to achieve? More division within the opposition? Is it a Green thing having a pop at Labour’s issues? I hope not.
Y’all want to get rid of Dunne, don’t you? From the looks of this, maybe not…
I expect the Templars had something to do with it. Probably hired Buzz Aldrin for the actual photoshop work.
Cunning aye 😉 🙄
What’s your explanation then? Just a bit of fun?
I don’t have one, and I’m not about to jump to conclusions on that basis.
You can see the post. It’s obviously making fun of O’Conner’s reaction and quotes today about Ardern. Not sure why anyone on The Standard which is supposed to be the voice of the Labour movement would want to damage O’Conner’s chances of ousting The Bowtie from his lame position propping up the National government.
UF got 0.22% of the party vote in 2014 btw. If there is a man who deserves to be representing Kiwis in Parliament less than Peter Dunne, I’d like to know who.
Ban1080 Party got 0.21%
Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis got 0.46%
ACT got 0.69%
You can see where I’m going with this. Why risk the chance to put Dunne out of his misery for good because of O’Conner’s past. It’s the same internal squabbles which have hurt the opposition for some years now.
O’Connor.
My choice nothing sophisticated. I thought it was a good photoshop and quite funny.
Humour aye. It ain’t what it used to be.
Sorry I haven’t seen the relevance or the funny side – can you spell it out? Are you advocating for Peter Dunne? – he used to be Labour, didn’t he?
Words fail me.
Sweet. Have a free shot at O’Conner if you’re happy for Dunne to keep propping up the next National government.
Nope, not doing that either. Just a bit bemused by the whole exchange.
But you got my attention: if a joke can unseat O’Connor’s candidacy what bloody use is he going to be in Parliament?
Ridicule certainly hasn’t stopped a haircut being returned.
I haven’t heard what O’Connor has said today but I’m struggling to see the insult tbh. I was enjoying the nice Catholic theme in DR today.
btw, voice of the labour movement is not the same as Labour.
Seen the GO video now and still can’t see the insult in the image.
Yes, that’s why I said the voice of the Labour movement as The Standard is described by it’s owners.
Small ell, so as not to be confused with Labour.
“it’d be fair to say that all of us share a commitment to the values and principles that underpin the broad labour movement and we hope that perspective will come through strongly as you read the blog.”
It’s not my background, but I’m going to assume that the broad labour movement tolerates dissent. I get where you are coming from, I get sick of some of the relentless negativity about Labour in the comments. But this was a joke, and it’s hardly going to undermine Greg O’Connor to have someone poke a bit of fun at him (like I said, I’m not seeing the insult).
I don’t know O’Conner from a bar of soap but I do know what he’s trying to do in Ohariu and I support it 100%.
Others less so, it seems.
It seems to me that it’s unseemly to seem such unseemly assumptions.
O’ConnOR
Can someone spell it out for me. With crayons? I don’t see what the problem is.
“The Standard which is supposed to be the voice of the Labour movement”
That would be labour movement with a small l, as distinct from the party with the capital L.
Being an American for Pandora purposes is ‘interesting’: just been listening to an advert for “Newgenics” (sp?). Uh huh. Classy.
The far right wing sycophants are in gear, circling , bobbing , weaving and looking for a point of entry. Among them , – these prize wankers :
John Armstrong :
“Labour could do with is a lot more caution before casting its new leader as the Wonder Woman of New Zealand politics , you could have been excused for thinking Labour had just won the general election, rather than indulging in a last-minute exercise in survival ”.
We should ask him about a fictitious $100,000.00 bottle of wine .
What a lying slob.
——————————
Then we have the perennial Wanker in Chief , – Hosking ….
… ” doubts that Ardern is a saviour for Labour, raising questions about her lack of experience, and saying “I am not sure how relatable she is to middle New Zealand , – She’s promising new policy but it will have to be dramatically different than what they’ve already rolled out and judging by her opening comments in her first press conference, it was the same old stuff: closing gaps, more money, an inclusive society “.
What a way to condemn your own words.
Yes ,… he would be worried about the Greens catching the middle voters of NZ , while Adern drags women and soft Nat voters away from National ,- who , – actually kind of WOULD like to see a ‘more inclusive society with more money and the gaps being closed between the rich and the poor ‘….
——————————
Then there’s dainty little David Farrar…
Offering up an Olive branch as a front to appear all conciliatory and moderate … before ramming the dagger between the shoulder blades…
Still one must admire the snake like approach…
” She is untested as a leader. Does the public think she can run the country ? … running a country is vastly different to running a club of youth wings , … will the public think her and Grant Robertson will be better economic managers than Bill English and Steven Joyce ?… she is popular and liked but she did fail to win Auckland Central (a previous safe seat for Labour) in both 2011 and 2014″.
Sooo….
Untested. Just like John Key was.
And while Jacinda was earning a Communications degree , running an internationally comprised youth wing , spending time working in the offices of Phil Goff and of Helen Clark as a researcher , and later spent time in London, working as a senior policy advisor , …
John Key spent his years :
‘ working with foreign bankers who led raids on the New Zealand dollar , – and 20 years ago, he worked closely with a famed currency trader who mounted a brutal speculative attack on the Kiwi dollar. The attack, which has entered forex (foreign exchange) trading legend for its scale, audacity and profitability, prompted Reserve Bank alarm that the NZ currency would collapse ‘ .
-According to an article on Stuff .
Then we have the infamous homelessness and poverty such as we have never seen before in NZ , under Bill English’s ‘ economic management ‘ … well I dont know about you ,… but I would say ANYONE could come up with a plan that would be better than anything Stephen Joyce or Bill English have done in the last 9 years.
And so far, Labour has done just that.
I cannot remember any particular time when National wanted to raise the minimum wage and implement the Living Wage , can you ?
No.
What we got was more of Bill English and his prized ‘low wage economy’.
And people dying from the cold because of homelessness , family’s living in cars and young people locked out of buying a home…
Yeah right.
That’s real good economic management , alright.
So if you really want to read the news article that spawned these sorts of cretinous remarks,… read Bryce Edwards article on today’s NZ Herald for a laugh and a giggle . Just have a box of tissues handy to wipe away the tears of laughter…
They are testing their lines. The focus group results are not in yet so they do not know what they are doing. Within a week they will settle on an attack strategy and stick to it remorselessly.
Mickeysavage:
You have more faith in head office than myself.
Don’t believe they need an attack strategy, more policies that will get broad appeal, also not just to young people as Jacinda as already intimated.
Unless I’m very much mistaken. MS means the National Party’s attack strategy.
Lol.
Aye.
That’s the first time I’ve seen flailing impotence described as an attack strategy.
@ mickysavage ( 7. 1 )
Agreed. You can tell the plan is in its early stages. Labour needs to work on possible lines of attack and work out the counter to them.
If looked at logically , after 9 years there is plenty of ammunition if anyone tries to get cute. 4-5 stock rebuttals per angle of attack , for use both in parliament and in media. But apart from that ,… the latest fruits of National’s social policy is all there to see. And it isn’t pretty.
And National cant attack them on economic performance because they are the party that’s been in for the last 9 years. All they can try to do is bluff and scaremonger. Which is totally unsubstantiated speculation on their parts. What isn’t , is the appalling effects on large sectors of society that is a direct result of National policy.
Gareth Hughes hit it on the head not so long ago ( 11 Feb 2016 ) when Key was still PM before he jumped ship … one of my favorite speeches .
Gareth Hughes on the Prime Minister’s poor leadership, 11 Feb 2016 …
Video for gareth hughes speech john key▶ 5:04
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO3kgvayZhQ
Wild Katipo, 7.52pm.
Gareth Hughes stood for the leadership of the Green Party and got one vote , his own.
Does not have much weight in Parliament, or in his own Party.
He described Key perfectly though, didn’t he.
Told a lot of truth though , – like another guy who was killed for doing something similar about 2000 years ago back in Israel.
Gareth got his nose busted in a “friendly” parliamentary rugby match a while back and posted the selfie soon after. I hope that’s all he ever suffers, in light of your news of his Deification, Wild Katipo.
Lol… not so much ‘ Deification ‘ , so much as showing that vicious types will always try to drag down a good honest person. Its in their nature to want to do that.
As far as I’m concerned, Gareth is a bloody good honest bloke. And the things he listed showed up Key / National for what they really are.
Agreed, WK.
Q: how’s your lawn growing?
Keep telling the other guy to buy some AstroTurf but he prefers the organic stuff. He must like mowing lawns… like Forrest G.
🙂
Wild Katipo, was that the bloke who said something about sin and stone-throwing?
Oh, and another good line about rich people.
And money-lenders.
Still apposite today, eh?
Maybe that was an attempt at a joke, but the co-leaders aren’t selected like that so your comment comes across more like a lie.
Weka,
it was not a joke or a lie, he got one vote in the co-leadership election, his own.
He stated he HAD voted for himself.
James Shaw won the vote.
Co-leaders in the GP are selected by delegates via an STV process. Delegates take instruction from their local area members. I’d be extremely surprised if MPs got a special vote that ordinary members don’t, but by all means back up your assertion.
Beyond that, the co-leadership vote was always going to be between Shaw and Hague. Far too soon for Hughes to be stepping into that role, but useful for him to put his hand up and gain experience.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Party_of_Aotearoa_New_Zealand_male_co-leadership_election,_2015
weka, 8.44pm.
1% or 1 out of a 100 votes cast.
Gareth admitted he voted for himself.
You have a link for that assertion?
I’ve already explained how I think the voting works and provided a link. Hughes’ vote for himself is not the 1% you are claiming.
Your problem now is that when people have been given a chance to back up their claim or change their position, and they don’t but instead double down, I get to call them a liar. Which is what I will do with you from now on. It’s one thing that you and I have different politics, that’s fine. But when you deliberately make up shit about left wing parties for your own agenda, I put you in the same category as DPF or Hooton.
And it really doesn’t matter what position he holds or what you think. The truth was the truth and that’s the end of it.
The fact you felt compelled to defend Key , English or whatever other scumbag neo liberal demonstrates that what Gareth Hughes said resonated.
Truth has a habit of doing that sort of thing.
Resonates.
Like a bell.
billmurray relentlessly attacks The Greens. Tonight, he’s looking at Gareth. Makes a change from his usual, “the MOU is the handbasket in which we are all going to Hell” rant.
Robert Guyton, 8.34pm
To me the Greens are nihilism.
Often proved by comment on these pages.
billmurray, 8:43 pm
Clearly you and the meaning of nihilism are strangers.
That, or you and any and every Green MP have yet to meet.
RG. Quite – if the Greens are nihilists (all life is ultimately pointless) why the hell do they want to save the planet from catastrophe? Surely they would be grimly keen on anything that accelerated it?
Actually “grimly keen” doesn’t really work, because nihilists (if true to their ideology) can’t really be keen on anything!
Neil,… off The Young Ones,… is a nihilist. But I would say so are Anarcho – capitalists. At least in basic form.
Which is what BM ,srylands, WAYNE, billmurray and a whole long list of other regular far right wing supporters are .
‘ Anarcho-capitalism (also known as “libertarian anarchy” or “market anarchism” or “free market anarchism”) is a libertarian and individualist anarchist political philosophy that advocates the elimination of the state in favor of individual sovereignty in a free market ‘
So the nebulous ‘free market’ becomes their form of nihilism . No organization , no regulation , no state … just a bottomless predatory free for all pit.
I’d say a govt that is OK with homeless dying on streets and living in cars is in an advanced state of nihilism itself, tbh.
You know, I have a son who traveled with his mother to Cambodia when she went there to do some relief work. My son played with kids in the slums. They lived among huge rubbish dumps and made houses out of old car body’s. And many died because of hunger related preventable diseases and because they could not afford proper medical care.
In NZ , family’s sleep in cars ( often when working multiple jobs ) , those without cars die of the cold , ( 1600 per year because of cold related illnesses ) often have to rely on food banks or starve , with many being permanently handicapped by preventable diseases because of lack of money for doctors , – or dying from them.
Go figure.
Wild Katipo,
saw the same sort of situation in Bombay mid 1980’s.
Yes it is nilihism.
The Greens, who are about a 12% political party, only ever won a seat once ( Jeanette Fitsimmons from memory) to Parliament.
The Greens are a totally list Party.
The Greens make rash and unachievable promises to the people living in cars etc.
They will never deliver on their promises, only a major political Party can do that.
The Greens pretend.
They white ant the MoU.
That is their nilihism to me.
Here’s something I wrote yesterday over at The Daily Blog , just for you Spud.
And if the Greens ( in coalition with Labour ) even achieve some of this , – they will be going a long way towards the REAL remedy’s for NZ and a return to the prosperity we knew as a country pre 1984 ,- the year the liar Roger Douglas introduced his theft via neo liberalism :
What I and many others are hoping for is this , – a return to what was once …
… ” Free education , free healthcare , full employment and the maintenance of the welfare state, women’s rights , environmentalism , and Māori rights. A continuance of nuclear-free policy and opposition of military interventionism, progressive taxation , which would mean higher tax for wealthier people and lower taxation for poorer people. The removal of the Goods and Services Tax, as the tax is unfair because the amount paid does not vary according to the purchaser’s ability to afford it ” …
None other than the very policy’s of the Alliance party !!!
And here’s a few others still popular these days :
Bringing Treasury / Reserve Bank under direct govt control , dismantling of the effects of the Employment Contracts Act , trade tariffs to protect local industry and workers jobs , making welfare inflation adjusted ie : costs of living , full employment – as opposed to maintaining a pool of unemployed to keep wages low , compulsory unionism , govt backed union award rates ( and industry apprenticeship’s ) cessation of land purchase by foreign corporate’s ie : lease basis only , re-nationalization of our SOE’s – including much of our former media ,…
Do all that ?
And you might , – just MIGHT , start to see a return to our former social democracy and the prosperity we once enjoyed under it.
* Oh , … and btw ,… making illegal the measures used formerly by lobbyists to attempt to stage a return to neo liberalism as unconstitutional , anti sovereign , anti democratic and against the NZ Bill of Rights.
Hey billm – your ‘nihilism’ just became ‘nilihism’.
I reckon it’s heading for ‘nihillbillymurrayism’ and that’s a whole new kettle of hamsters.
Anyways , Adern and Metiria , Labour and the Greens are going to be Bill English’s worst nightmare .
The convo’s gotten a bit quiet so couldn’t resist. Time for one of my fav Metaliica songs.
Awesome band.
Metallica – Enter Sandman [Official Music Video] – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD-E-LDc384
Jacinda maybe (I don’t think she will but I’ve been wrong before) but Metiria might be in a little more trouble then she bargained for
Bill English buckles over housing allowance | Stuff.co.nz
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/…/Bill-English-buckles-over-housing-allowance
Auditor-General Martin Matthews has resigned due to a critical report into his handling of a major fraud case when he led the Transport Ministry.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/336404/auditor-general-resigns-over-fraud-investigation
Due to the resignation the “Critical”report seems to be embargoed! Why??????
Yep – Bomber Bradbury has done a big post on the same question. It is inexcusable. But will it get air?
Don’t know about air, but it won’t carry as much weight as his socks.
Yes,… another one of these ‘ Sirs’ involved either directly or indirectly with some sort of deviant scumbag behaviors… there really must be a tightening up of the criteria before someone gets a title with these characters… too many thieves among them.
I was talking about chunks Bradbury.
Kinda gathered that.
Hence the reply.
🙂
Never thought of Bradbury as a Sir, more sirloin and all the trimmings.
John Key gets off common assault charges, now lets see, … who broke the original pony tail pulling incident story ,… The Daily Blog , as I recall…
And was it not some liar who used to be a cheap columnist who faked being an advocate that placed an article in the NZ Herald and twisted every word ?
The Daily Blog smacked that sad little attempt at deception down as well…
A little like the fictitious $ 100,000.00 bottle of wine being another sterling example of editorial bias from the same newspaper… and following that , another investigative report released to the public by The Daily Blog exposing that particular newspaper.
You can criticize all you like , but Bradbury’s done more than his fair share of making the neo liberal coterie feel decidedly uncomfortable… just like any decent journalist should , – but fail to when they have been pay walled by the National party …
This is getting interesting: http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/08/more-questions-raised-about-metiria-turei-s-living-situation.html
and time will tell but maybe its looking like the gamble isn’t going to pay off: http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/08/newshub-poll-most-kiwis-say-metiria-turei-was-wrong-to-lie-to-winz.html
On the plus side the 2017 election looks like it might rival the 2014 election in terms of being…entertaining
Yes, … yes it will ,… it will indeed…
PM questioned on text messages to Dixon – MSN.com
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/pm-questioned…text…dixon/ar-AApec9y
“Why did he send over 450 text messages… – New Zealand First …
https://www.facebook.com/NZFirst/posts/1381577771897808
So he sent on average 1.5 texts a day to someone he knew and had worked closely with for the preceding 20 years. That’s a scandal . An absolute outrage.
Well then … your convenient ‘1.5 texts per day ‘ spread out over time may have relevance to a statistician but to the rest of us ( and in context of the law breaking of Todd Barclay ) with common sense it obviously didn’t occur like that but rather in ‘ clusters’ .
And there was an obvious reason for those ‘ clusters’ . Late evenings, Early hours of the morning , … certainly does seem rather extreme behavior for a normal every day working relationship given the timeframe and context , – and more importantly , – the potential magnitude of the situation if it were to become public knowledge,…
Doesn’t it.
Sometimes trying to get cute and adopting the nerd approach by justifying all things purely on a measurable mathematical approach only serves to make you look ridiculous.
You’ve just succeeded.
Here’s something for those cricket fans and those who like me that can’t stand that Muppet Boycott.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05b5j5t